1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to damper mechanisms for chimneys and, more particularly, to a novel chimney cap designed to be positioned on top of the chimney flue.
2. The Prior Art
With the ever increasing cost of conventional sources of energy, more and more people are utilizing their fireplaces as an alternative or supplemental source for heating their homes. Additionally, people are becoming concerned with finding and implementing means for reducing heat losses from their homes. One of the major sources of heat loss is an undampered or only partially dampered chimney flue. Unless restrained, hot air rises through the flue and escapes from a home.
Many fireplaces have a damper located immediately above the firebox to prevent warm air from escaping up the chimney. However, these dampers are usually loose fitting and only partially eliminate the problem. This is especially true when the wind blows across the top of the chimney causing a siphoning effect. Additionally, these dampers do not eliminate other problems associated with chimneys such as rain, snow and leaves which fall down the flue and the entrance of small animals such as birds and squirrels or insects.
Various attempts have been made to develop a damper which can be placed on the top of a chimney flue to eliminate these problems. However, these devices have generally been complicated and difficult to install or have had complicated operating mechanisms making them unreliable.
Accordingly, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide a chimney cap which can easily be installed on top of a chimney flue to prevent heat loss when the fireplace is not being used and which can prevent rain, snow, leaves and animals from entering the chimney. Such a device is disclosed and claimed herein.